Post by countlivin on Apr 23, 2019 4:29:24 GMT
Chapter 11: The Concept of Hope
Theoram Warrik
Theo arrived at the steel gates of the Capital building carrying the anxiety and fear of a man who might never return. The building was enormous and painted white, with the eagle sigil of Panem emblazoned upon its side for all the citizens to see. He suspected President Snow had it built to look like a castle deliberately. It reached into the sky and broke the clouds, yet it still didn't stand as high as Snow's own ego.
Theo checked the time on his pocket watch and watched the hour hand pass three. He stepped up to the gate and observed its artistic design with flourishes and the white rose crest of the Snow family in the metalwork. An echoing voice sounded from all directions. "State your business," it said.
"I was summoned here four hours ago," Theo replied, not quite sure where the sound was coming from.
"You the new Gamemaker?"
"Yes."
The gates slid open at a snail's pace. Once they were ajar, the marble pathway to the Capital building beckoned to him. On either side, it dropped off into a giant fountain enveloping the entire building like a moat. It was easily the largest fountain Theo had ever laid eyes upon, with spouts laid fifteen feet apart from each other. There wasn't any railing on the path, making it difficult for him with his bad leg.
When he finally managed to hobble the entire way down the path, the doors opened for him automatically. This place was over the top... even more so than the rest of the Capitol city. A land of glimmering skies and a hope for tomorrow... That's what they called it. So hypocritical, and ignorant.
"Ah, you're the new Gamemaker on the panel!" the secretary greeted him with her wide smile of purple lipstick. He walked into the room on his cane and stood in front of her, expecting directions. "He's been expecting you, Mr. Warrik."
"Who has been expecting me?" Theo questioned.
"President Snow himself," she smiled. His eyes went wide. He hadn't dreamed of ever meeting the President, at least not for a very long time. He was so exclusive, hardly anyone was able to meet him these days. "Tell me, what's it like being a Gamemaker? It has to be exciting, right? Like playing in your own personal sandbox!"
"Yes. It's exciting," Theo replied in the most disdainful way possible without coming off as though it wasn't the truth. Theo joined the panel for only a few reasons, and none of them were personal enjoyment. "I would ask where I go for this meeting."
"Oh, no problem," she replied, going back to her computer and typing on the holographic keyboard. "A man should arrive shortly to escort you to the meeting area. You can take a seat and we'll will be with you in just a moment."
Theo took one last fleeting look at the secretary, and had a chuckle about her green, curly hair contradicting with her blue contacts and purple lips. He never did understand the Capitol's incessant need for vibrant color. Maybe it was the lack of any in the architecture and world around them. Maybe over time, the color was taken out of the world and was transferred into the citizens of the Capitol. No... That's exactly what happened.
Sitting in the room, it suddenly felt as though he were very small. Most likely that was the intent. He had a feeling that was the intent of the room. It was too large for simply an information desk and a few rows of waiting chairs. Yet, for the most part, it was barren. That was President Snow's way. He would belittle everyone by overwhelming them with the altitude of his own power, or that's how Roman put it, but have little to back it up. Yet, there was something in him that Roman admired. It was the same thing that Theo despised. It was his inability to care.
After approximately five minutes, a ding issued from one of the twelve elevators and the doors slid open smoothly. A man stepped forth with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face. He stood very tall, as though to appear formal. His hair was well-coiffed, and for once, was a natural shade of brown. Just from looking at him, Theo was refreshed. He found Theo in the waiting seats and called out for him.
"Mr. Warrik!" Theo rose and limped over to where the man stood. He extended his hand for a shake and Theo took it. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Mick Proden. I am the President's personal advisor, and I will show you to your meeting hall!"
He followed him to the elevator, and Mick slipped a small silver key into a slot above the normal buttons just before it flashed yellow. The elevator began to fly upwards, almost knocking the old man off his feet.
"You're his advisor, huh?" He asked. "What is this meeting about?"
"No way to tell for sure, sir," Mick responded. "It's always something different with him. He's got that sort of personality, always moving onto new tasks. I can tell you, however, that he usually makes it a priority to speak to whoever joins the panel of Gamemakers, and seeing as you happened on the task this year, I'd say he has readied his speech. I imagine your coworkers would be better candidates for the question. You know he was the one who actually invented the concept of the Hunger Games? So, technically, without him, you wouldn't have a job right now!"
"What do you advise him on?" Theo scratched his face, keeping his gaze focused on the front of the elevator. He knew very well the answer to his question, yet refused to respond to it. "Because I imagine he gets a lot of his own ideas..."
"Yeah," the man flashed his gleaming white teeth. "He's a very self-made man. He's the kind of man we should all strive to become someday. You think that could ever happen?"
"No."
He seemed confused and a bit hurt. "What do you mean, sir? I think everyone can have their role model."
Theo didn't respond, only staring resolutely at the wall in front of him. Mick took the hint that Theo wasn't the type for small talk. There was one reason, and only one reason he was here. Once his goal was accomplished, Theo would leave, and if he was lucky, he would never have to come back.
The doors of the elevator slid open, and another grandiose room presented itself. It was a long hallway with a meeting table extending down the entire way. The lights hung off the high ceiling and were dimly lit, only barely casting auburn light on the navy blue wallpaper. At the other end of the hallway was not a wall, but the entire space was left open. Only a railing could be seen there, with gray sky behind it. Leaning on the railing was a man. He couldn't have been more than thirty, President Coriolanus Snow.
"Gamemaker, step into the room." He called from the other side. His voice sounded clearer and more pristine than it did on his recordings. "Mr. Proden, you may leave our presence. We have to discuss a simple matter..."
"Yes, sir," Mick told him. He knocked Theo on the arm just before he let him step into the room. The doors closed behind him and Theo was in the room alone with the most important man in all of Panem. He was trapped.
"You may approach me. Let us look upon our nation together," he called to Theo. He held up a glass of what looked like white wine. Theo limped on his cane to the other side of the room and stood there beside the president. He leaned on the railing with him and looked out at the city below. It was gray tinged by white, halls and streets as far as the eye could see. It was like a sea of industry. This was the heart of Panem.
"Theoram Warrik..." the President slowly spoke. Theo looked at him and saw a man wise for his years. His blonde hair was cut very short, slicked back behind his head, and his blue eyes felt just as piercing as a dagger. A small white rose tickled his breast pocket. "I like that name. I had a second cousin once who bore it. A strong man, but not of build... He was strong of will. I imagine you are no different."
"I could say so of myself, Mr. President," Theo replied. He felt nervous; one wrong word could mean the end. Snow was particularly notable for his low patience. He took one look at Theo's face and then turned back to the Capitol below. They were a great distance from the street level. It was the highest he had ever been before.
"That's good. Will is what defines a man. It isn't his wealth, or his mannerisms... It's his will to stand in what he believes in like his shoes. He has to wear his values like an undershirt and his dreams as his jacket. I look at you and the other Gamemakers and I see a bunch of people in their jackets, sitting at a computer and doing what they love. This defines you, does it not?"
"Yes," he said. "I have wanted this for a long time."
Snow put on a satisfied face. "It's a noble thing to want: to serve me and this country. I'm sure you are aware of the purpose of the Games." Theo nodded yes slightly, yet it didn't seem to be enough of a clear answer to him. "You are an old man. Surely you were alive during the Great War?"
"The world has never had a chance to properly thank you for ending that unspeakable terror," Theo told him. That sounded like something that would please him.
"Ah. The Games have a way of keeping the Twelve Districts in their places. If one rises up, as Thirteen did so long ago, we will crush it into a fine paste so that the world doesn't remember it existed in the first place. But I digress..."
Theo turned around and leaned against the railing on his back for a moment. He couldn't stay still for too long or his joints would lock up. Snow picked up the rose in his pocket and stared into it longingly. "This nation is on a slow incline to perfection. When my father was in charge, he was weak. He was not able to keep the masses in order, but I have been able to accomplish what he never could. It's why I wear this rose."
"Why's that?"
"My father often wore a red rose similarly. I've inherited his way and perfected it. Nothing can slip through the cracks anymore. You look to the south and you see order. You look to the north and you see tranquility. This is a world I want to be able to raise my children in. Don't you agree?"
"Yes," Theo told him. "If I had any children, this is the kind of world I would bring them into." The mentioning of children brought his daughter to his mind and his anger flared, but he quelled it back to submission.
"It's not like you have a choice, right?" Snow patted him on the back, and laughed for a moment. "I like you, Theo—and all the Gamemakers. You're like toymakers, endlessly trying to make a new toy for the Capitol to play with. I've heard you are good friends with the Head Gamemaker."
"Yes," Theo replied. "Roman and I have been friends for as long as I can remember."
"Then I'm sure it won't startle you to know that he has been taking a keen interest in these particular Games. I gave him the idea of the Quarter Quell, and he ran away with it—at the speed of light too. I was told you gave him the idea for the arena. A jungle was it?"
"Yeah. The jungle is a good place to practice stealth; Roman seemed to be leaning toward it," Theo nodded, staring back toward the coffee shop that the two of them used to meet every week. He could see half the city from here. "The Quarter Quell was your idea?"
"Anything related to the Hunger Games must be approved by me first," President Snow responded. "Yes, the Quell was my idea, but Roman's imaginative mind has taken it far in ways I did not intend at first. I was taken aback, but there was a reason I appointed him Head Gamemaker. The man has an eye for detail. He can see art where the world before him is bare...
"But now it comes to the question of your allegiance. I like you, but there's still a very likely possibility that you don't think the same of me. That would be disheartening to say the least. I want to know where you stand, because there's nothing that can ruin a perfectly good day more than betrayal."
"I stand with you." Theo did his best not to say it through his teeth. "I have nowhere else to stand, sir. If you haven't noticed, I haven't been much to stand recently. My leg is just too weak. It's just about the only weak part of me, though."
"That's good." He turned and leaned against the railing with his back and took a slow sip of his white wine. "This world has too many spineless people in it. A man with a good backbone always has a place on the panel of Gamemakers. Your position is...?"
"I handle the sponsors, sir." Theo sat down in the chair beside the long conference table. As he did, he noticed an ornate red and white flower garden hanging from the railing. It brought a bit of color to this otherwise drab room. Every now and then, Snow would take another glance at it. His presidential garden was world-famous as the best garden ever grown. Theo had never seen it. He'd only heard stories. However, given all the other stories about Snow, it may as well not have been true.
President Snow looked at him and frowned. He wore a look of apathy, but Theo knew it was only a mask. He turned back to the city below. "Can you not stand in front of your President?"
"Will all due respect, no I can't."
The young man did not waver in his gaze upon the sea. He touched the small white rose in his breast pocket. "What does it mean to you, Gamemaker?" His tone was wistful.
"What does what mean, sir?"
"The concept of hope?" He took the rose and dropped it from the balcony to land in the fountain below. "To me, and to any quality citizen of the Capitol, it is nothing more than a word. But like any word… if it is used incorrectly, in harmony with its brothers and sisters, it can mean your death. So choose carefully."
75% of readers chose to [A. Appeal to Snow.]
"I agree, sir," Theo said, forcing a smile. "Hope is nothing, and thinking otherwise is dangerous. It reduces civilizations like Thirteen to dust."
President Snow spun around amiably, but Theo could see the hint of malevolence in his piercing blue eyes. No one seemed to notice it except for Theo. "You are a wise man, Gamemaker Warrik. The removal of hope is the reason Panem lives on while the rest of the planet lives in darkness. We are alone, but we are alive."
Theo knew without a doubt that disagreement was one way to make President Snow an enemy, and a ferocious one at that. He was pleased with himself. Maybe now, the man would let him get home in time for supper.
"I have to say, I've enjoyed our talk here today, Gamemaker Warrik." He laughed in a chipper kind of way that made it impossible to tell if he was lying. "I hope we have more soon… And I hope you make the Games as well as you make your sentences."
"You will be pleased with me, Mr. President," Theo lied.
The president of Panem had a smile on his thin snake lips as he placed a hand on Theo's shoulder. He stood slightly taller than the man, yet when he looked down into his eyes, he could sense the evil in him. Theo wasn't afraid of the Capitol, but looking directly into the eyes of the man who'd made his life hell struck a kind of fear into him he couldn't shake off.
"You're a good man, Theoram," Snow nodded. "I would love to keep it that way. We'll be watching your progress towards the Games from here on out."
"You're monitoring me?" Theo raised the eyebrow that was not burdened by his monocle. "Will I have no privacy?"
"What is privacy when compared to security?" he shrugged. He scanned the Capitol city below for the thousandth time with his greedy eyes. "This city is full of dark places. No matter how many lamps you hold, you always cast a shadow. Don't be the man who cowers in the shadows, Gamemaker."
"I don't even know where to look for them," Theo lied. "This is the Shining City, after all."
The president laughed quietly. It was a cold laugh... A scornful laugh... "Only a month ago, I had a woman here such as you. She went by the name Lynona Williams. Quite an eye for detail, that girl. If I remember correctly, she was quite the prodigy in engineering. The youngest Gamemaker on the panel, at twenty-five. And you are the oldest. Are you familiar with her?"
"Yes. We've been friends for the past few months," Theo said. He didn't find anything to gain from lying here. He was growing nervous, remembering how she had left the meeting earlier that day.
"Are you close?"
"No," he replied. "We've talked briefly about the Games, and news issues, but our conversations never deviate above small talk."
"Oh really?" Snow asked. He seemed as if he knew exactly where the conversation was going. Theo didn't like its direction. "I have an eye witness report of the two of you being... more than friends to say the least."
"That's not true," Theo frowned. He truly wasn't lying this time. He'd never thought of Lynona as anything more than a friend at arm's distance and couldn't understand the accusation. They'd never been together. "Where was your source?"
"You question my source?" Snow seemed slightly angry. It was the only true emotion Theo had seen on his expression thus far. "I believe that information is behind a wall of strict classification, but what I saw was the two of you walking behind an alleyway dragging one another along by the hands. It was quite a romantic scene."
He pulled a holographic device from his jacket pocket. He set it down in the garden, pushed a button and watched as the scene unfolded. It was like he said. Theo met Lynona just outside the coffee shop. He was becoming very close to her as he spoke, and for the first time, Theo noticed she didn't back away. He took her by her hand and led her into the alleyway behind them.
Theo remembered that day clearly. It was the first day he'd talked to her, trying to express his ideals against the Capitol. Luckily, this footage was not shot from a security camera, as it was too shaky, and no audio could be heard. It meant, however, someone was behind it. Theo admitted he'd gotten a bit close to her that day, but it was only because that was always how he demonstrated his point. It had not been romantic in intent, yet, he could see how President Snow could mistake it for such an action.
"Yes," Theo sighed, admitting something that was not the truth for the second time today. "We became involved through the past month. Even so, is this a bad thing? What say do you have to intervene?"
President Snow was shocked by his bluntness, but quickly lightened. "She is my second cousin."
"What?"
"Lynona Williams is my second cousin and only living relative. I would ask that you stay away from her."
How could this happen? In one sentence, Theo's entire world began to unravel. Lynona was related to Snow. She had his trust. She had his plan, and she had his hope. If what Snow said was true, it would only be a matter of time before his intentions were discovered.
"I'm... I'm sorry."
"I know this must be frustrating or shocking to you," he nodded, "but, it's the truth. It's more than what you gave me. I do not like being lied to, Gamemaker Warrik. Do you understand?"
"I understand, sir..." he said, shrinking into his place. He felt smaller now... colder.
"Normally, there would be discipline involved, but I have a proposal for you." Snow extended his hand, and Theo glared down at it, mistrusting. "You leave my cousin in peace, and I will forget we had this discussion. Are we clear?"
Theo took the President's hand and shook firmly. He was surprised to find his grip was very tight and his hands were as pale and as cold as ice. There was something unsettling about the texture of his hand alone. It was too smooth…
"We're clear sir."
"Now, leave my company, Gamemaker," he commanded stiffly. "With luck, the next you'll hear from me will be congratulating you on a Games well made. I haven't lost my hope in you."
Theo turned and exited down the seemingly endless table of the conference hall. As he passed leather chair by leather chair, he thought to himself about how his plans had changed. He would need to notify Kirt and Rhetora about this.
President Snow had spoken to the Gamemaker about hope, but the man didn't know a thing about it. Theo laughed when he thought about it one more time. After all, hope was only a word...
End of Chapter 11
Theoram Warrik
Theo arrived at the steel gates of the Capital building carrying the anxiety and fear of a man who might never return. The building was enormous and painted white, with the eagle sigil of Panem emblazoned upon its side for all the citizens to see. He suspected President Snow had it built to look like a castle deliberately. It reached into the sky and broke the clouds, yet it still didn't stand as high as Snow's own ego.
Theo checked the time on his pocket watch and watched the hour hand pass three. He stepped up to the gate and observed its artistic design with flourishes and the white rose crest of the Snow family in the metalwork. An echoing voice sounded from all directions. "State your business," it said.
"I was summoned here four hours ago," Theo replied, not quite sure where the sound was coming from.
"You the new Gamemaker?"
"Yes."
The gates slid open at a snail's pace. Once they were ajar, the marble pathway to the Capital building beckoned to him. On either side, it dropped off into a giant fountain enveloping the entire building like a moat. It was easily the largest fountain Theo had ever laid eyes upon, with spouts laid fifteen feet apart from each other. There wasn't any railing on the path, making it difficult for him with his bad leg.
When he finally managed to hobble the entire way down the path, the doors opened for him automatically. This place was over the top... even more so than the rest of the Capitol city. A land of glimmering skies and a hope for tomorrow... That's what they called it. So hypocritical, and ignorant.
"Ah, you're the new Gamemaker on the panel!" the secretary greeted him with her wide smile of purple lipstick. He walked into the room on his cane and stood in front of her, expecting directions. "He's been expecting you, Mr. Warrik."
"Who has been expecting me?" Theo questioned.
"President Snow himself," she smiled. His eyes went wide. He hadn't dreamed of ever meeting the President, at least not for a very long time. He was so exclusive, hardly anyone was able to meet him these days. "Tell me, what's it like being a Gamemaker? It has to be exciting, right? Like playing in your own personal sandbox!"
"Yes. It's exciting," Theo replied in the most disdainful way possible without coming off as though it wasn't the truth. Theo joined the panel for only a few reasons, and none of them were personal enjoyment. "I would ask where I go for this meeting."
"Oh, no problem," she replied, going back to her computer and typing on the holographic keyboard. "A man should arrive shortly to escort you to the meeting area. You can take a seat and we'll will be with you in just a moment."
Theo took one last fleeting look at the secretary, and had a chuckle about her green, curly hair contradicting with her blue contacts and purple lips. He never did understand the Capitol's incessant need for vibrant color. Maybe it was the lack of any in the architecture and world around them. Maybe over time, the color was taken out of the world and was transferred into the citizens of the Capitol. No... That's exactly what happened.
Sitting in the room, it suddenly felt as though he were very small. Most likely that was the intent. He had a feeling that was the intent of the room. It was too large for simply an information desk and a few rows of waiting chairs. Yet, for the most part, it was barren. That was President Snow's way. He would belittle everyone by overwhelming them with the altitude of his own power, or that's how Roman put it, but have little to back it up. Yet, there was something in him that Roman admired. It was the same thing that Theo despised. It was his inability to care.
After approximately five minutes, a ding issued from one of the twelve elevators and the doors slid open smoothly. A man stepped forth with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face. He stood very tall, as though to appear formal. His hair was well-coiffed, and for once, was a natural shade of brown. Just from looking at him, Theo was refreshed. He found Theo in the waiting seats and called out for him.
"Mr. Warrik!" Theo rose and limped over to where the man stood. He extended his hand for a shake and Theo took it. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Mick Proden. I am the President's personal advisor, and I will show you to your meeting hall!"
He followed him to the elevator, and Mick slipped a small silver key into a slot above the normal buttons just before it flashed yellow. The elevator began to fly upwards, almost knocking the old man off his feet.
"You're his advisor, huh?" He asked. "What is this meeting about?"
"No way to tell for sure, sir," Mick responded. "It's always something different with him. He's got that sort of personality, always moving onto new tasks. I can tell you, however, that he usually makes it a priority to speak to whoever joins the panel of Gamemakers, and seeing as you happened on the task this year, I'd say he has readied his speech. I imagine your coworkers would be better candidates for the question. You know he was the one who actually invented the concept of the Hunger Games? So, technically, without him, you wouldn't have a job right now!"
"What do you advise him on?" Theo scratched his face, keeping his gaze focused on the front of the elevator. He knew very well the answer to his question, yet refused to respond to it. "Because I imagine he gets a lot of his own ideas..."
"Yeah," the man flashed his gleaming white teeth. "He's a very self-made man. He's the kind of man we should all strive to become someday. You think that could ever happen?"
"No."
He seemed confused and a bit hurt. "What do you mean, sir? I think everyone can have their role model."
Theo didn't respond, only staring resolutely at the wall in front of him. Mick took the hint that Theo wasn't the type for small talk. There was one reason, and only one reason he was here. Once his goal was accomplished, Theo would leave, and if he was lucky, he would never have to come back.
The doors of the elevator slid open, and another grandiose room presented itself. It was a long hallway with a meeting table extending down the entire way. The lights hung off the high ceiling and were dimly lit, only barely casting auburn light on the navy blue wallpaper. At the other end of the hallway was not a wall, but the entire space was left open. Only a railing could be seen there, with gray sky behind it. Leaning on the railing was a man. He couldn't have been more than thirty, President Coriolanus Snow.
"Gamemaker, step into the room." He called from the other side. His voice sounded clearer and more pristine than it did on his recordings. "Mr. Proden, you may leave our presence. We have to discuss a simple matter..."
"Yes, sir," Mick told him. He knocked Theo on the arm just before he let him step into the room. The doors closed behind him and Theo was in the room alone with the most important man in all of Panem. He was trapped.
"You may approach me. Let us look upon our nation together," he called to Theo. He held up a glass of what looked like white wine. Theo limped on his cane to the other side of the room and stood there beside the president. He leaned on the railing with him and looked out at the city below. It was gray tinged by white, halls and streets as far as the eye could see. It was like a sea of industry. This was the heart of Panem.
"Theoram Warrik..." the President slowly spoke. Theo looked at him and saw a man wise for his years. His blonde hair was cut very short, slicked back behind his head, and his blue eyes felt just as piercing as a dagger. A small white rose tickled his breast pocket. "I like that name. I had a second cousin once who bore it. A strong man, but not of build... He was strong of will. I imagine you are no different."
"I could say so of myself, Mr. President," Theo replied. He felt nervous; one wrong word could mean the end. Snow was particularly notable for his low patience. He took one look at Theo's face and then turned back to the Capitol below. They were a great distance from the street level. It was the highest he had ever been before.
"That's good. Will is what defines a man. It isn't his wealth, or his mannerisms... It's his will to stand in what he believes in like his shoes. He has to wear his values like an undershirt and his dreams as his jacket. I look at you and the other Gamemakers and I see a bunch of people in their jackets, sitting at a computer and doing what they love. This defines you, does it not?"
"Yes," he said. "I have wanted this for a long time."
Snow put on a satisfied face. "It's a noble thing to want: to serve me and this country. I'm sure you are aware of the purpose of the Games." Theo nodded yes slightly, yet it didn't seem to be enough of a clear answer to him. "You are an old man. Surely you were alive during the Great War?"
"The world has never had a chance to properly thank you for ending that unspeakable terror," Theo told him. That sounded like something that would please him.
"Ah. The Games have a way of keeping the Twelve Districts in their places. If one rises up, as Thirteen did so long ago, we will crush it into a fine paste so that the world doesn't remember it existed in the first place. But I digress..."
Theo turned around and leaned against the railing on his back for a moment. He couldn't stay still for too long or his joints would lock up. Snow picked up the rose in his pocket and stared into it longingly. "This nation is on a slow incline to perfection. When my father was in charge, he was weak. He was not able to keep the masses in order, but I have been able to accomplish what he never could. It's why I wear this rose."
"Why's that?"
"My father often wore a red rose similarly. I've inherited his way and perfected it. Nothing can slip through the cracks anymore. You look to the south and you see order. You look to the north and you see tranquility. This is a world I want to be able to raise my children in. Don't you agree?"
"Yes," Theo told him. "If I had any children, this is the kind of world I would bring them into." The mentioning of children brought his daughter to his mind and his anger flared, but he quelled it back to submission.
"It's not like you have a choice, right?" Snow patted him on the back, and laughed for a moment. "I like you, Theo—and all the Gamemakers. You're like toymakers, endlessly trying to make a new toy for the Capitol to play with. I've heard you are good friends with the Head Gamemaker."
"Yes," Theo replied. "Roman and I have been friends for as long as I can remember."
"Then I'm sure it won't startle you to know that he has been taking a keen interest in these particular Games. I gave him the idea of the Quarter Quell, and he ran away with it—at the speed of light too. I was told you gave him the idea for the arena. A jungle was it?"
"Yeah. The jungle is a good place to practice stealth; Roman seemed to be leaning toward it," Theo nodded, staring back toward the coffee shop that the two of them used to meet every week. He could see half the city from here. "The Quarter Quell was your idea?"
"Anything related to the Hunger Games must be approved by me first," President Snow responded. "Yes, the Quell was my idea, but Roman's imaginative mind has taken it far in ways I did not intend at first. I was taken aback, but there was a reason I appointed him Head Gamemaker. The man has an eye for detail. He can see art where the world before him is bare...
"But now it comes to the question of your allegiance. I like you, but there's still a very likely possibility that you don't think the same of me. That would be disheartening to say the least. I want to know where you stand, because there's nothing that can ruin a perfectly good day more than betrayal."
"I stand with you." Theo did his best not to say it through his teeth. "I have nowhere else to stand, sir. If you haven't noticed, I haven't been much to stand recently. My leg is just too weak. It's just about the only weak part of me, though."
"That's good." He turned and leaned against the railing with his back and took a slow sip of his white wine. "This world has too many spineless people in it. A man with a good backbone always has a place on the panel of Gamemakers. Your position is...?"
"I handle the sponsors, sir." Theo sat down in the chair beside the long conference table. As he did, he noticed an ornate red and white flower garden hanging from the railing. It brought a bit of color to this otherwise drab room. Every now and then, Snow would take another glance at it. His presidential garden was world-famous as the best garden ever grown. Theo had never seen it. He'd only heard stories. However, given all the other stories about Snow, it may as well not have been true.
President Snow looked at him and frowned. He wore a look of apathy, but Theo knew it was only a mask. He turned back to the city below. "Can you not stand in front of your President?"
"Will all due respect, no I can't."
The young man did not waver in his gaze upon the sea. He touched the small white rose in his breast pocket. "What does it mean to you, Gamemaker?" His tone was wistful.
"What does what mean, sir?"
"The concept of hope?" He took the rose and dropped it from the balcony to land in the fountain below. "To me, and to any quality citizen of the Capitol, it is nothing more than a word. But like any word… if it is used incorrectly, in harmony with its brothers and sisters, it can mean your death. So choose carefully."
75% of readers chose to [A. Appeal to Snow.]
"I agree, sir," Theo said, forcing a smile. "Hope is nothing, and thinking otherwise is dangerous. It reduces civilizations like Thirteen to dust."
President Snow spun around amiably, but Theo could see the hint of malevolence in his piercing blue eyes. No one seemed to notice it except for Theo. "You are a wise man, Gamemaker Warrik. The removal of hope is the reason Panem lives on while the rest of the planet lives in darkness. We are alone, but we are alive."
Theo knew without a doubt that disagreement was one way to make President Snow an enemy, and a ferocious one at that. He was pleased with himself. Maybe now, the man would let him get home in time for supper.
"I have to say, I've enjoyed our talk here today, Gamemaker Warrik." He laughed in a chipper kind of way that made it impossible to tell if he was lying. "I hope we have more soon… And I hope you make the Games as well as you make your sentences."
"You will be pleased with me, Mr. President," Theo lied.
The president of Panem had a smile on his thin snake lips as he placed a hand on Theo's shoulder. He stood slightly taller than the man, yet when he looked down into his eyes, he could sense the evil in him. Theo wasn't afraid of the Capitol, but looking directly into the eyes of the man who'd made his life hell struck a kind of fear into him he couldn't shake off.
"You're a good man, Theoram," Snow nodded. "I would love to keep it that way. We'll be watching your progress towards the Games from here on out."
"You're monitoring me?" Theo raised the eyebrow that was not burdened by his monocle. "Will I have no privacy?"
"What is privacy when compared to security?" he shrugged. He scanned the Capitol city below for the thousandth time with his greedy eyes. "This city is full of dark places. No matter how many lamps you hold, you always cast a shadow. Don't be the man who cowers in the shadows, Gamemaker."
"I don't even know where to look for them," Theo lied. "This is the Shining City, after all."
The president laughed quietly. It was a cold laugh... A scornful laugh... "Only a month ago, I had a woman here such as you. She went by the name Lynona Williams. Quite an eye for detail, that girl. If I remember correctly, she was quite the prodigy in engineering. The youngest Gamemaker on the panel, at twenty-five. And you are the oldest. Are you familiar with her?"
"Yes. We've been friends for the past few months," Theo said. He didn't find anything to gain from lying here. He was growing nervous, remembering how she had left the meeting earlier that day.
"Are you close?"
"No," he replied. "We've talked briefly about the Games, and news issues, but our conversations never deviate above small talk."
"Oh really?" Snow asked. He seemed as if he knew exactly where the conversation was going. Theo didn't like its direction. "I have an eye witness report of the two of you being... more than friends to say the least."
"That's not true," Theo frowned. He truly wasn't lying this time. He'd never thought of Lynona as anything more than a friend at arm's distance and couldn't understand the accusation. They'd never been together. "Where was your source?"
"You question my source?" Snow seemed slightly angry. It was the only true emotion Theo had seen on his expression thus far. "I believe that information is behind a wall of strict classification, but what I saw was the two of you walking behind an alleyway dragging one another along by the hands. It was quite a romantic scene."
He pulled a holographic device from his jacket pocket. He set it down in the garden, pushed a button and watched as the scene unfolded. It was like he said. Theo met Lynona just outside the coffee shop. He was becoming very close to her as he spoke, and for the first time, Theo noticed she didn't back away. He took her by her hand and led her into the alleyway behind them.
Theo remembered that day clearly. It was the first day he'd talked to her, trying to express his ideals against the Capitol. Luckily, this footage was not shot from a security camera, as it was too shaky, and no audio could be heard. It meant, however, someone was behind it. Theo admitted he'd gotten a bit close to her that day, but it was only because that was always how he demonstrated his point. It had not been romantic in intent, yet, he could see how President Snow could mistake it for such an action.
"Yes," Theo sighed, admitting something that was not the truth for the second time today. "We became involved through the past month. Even so, is this a bad thing? What say do you have to intervene?"
President Snow was shocked by his bluntness, but quickly lightened. "She is my second cousin."
"What?"
"Lynona Williams is my second cousin and only living relative. I would ask that you stay away from her."
How could this happen? In one sentence, Theo's entire world began to unravel. Lynona was related to Snow. She had his trust. She had his plan, and she had his hope. If what Snow said was true, it would only be a matter of time before his intentions were discovered.
"I'm... I'm sorry."
"I know this must be frustrating or shocking to you," he nodded, "but, it's the truth. It's more than what you gave me. I do not like being lied to, Gamemaker Warrik. Do you understand?"
"I understand, sir..." he said, shrinking into his place. He felt smaller now... colder.
"Normally, there would be discipline involved, but I have a proposal for you." Snow extended his hand, and Theo glared down at it, mistrusting. "You leave my cousin in peace, and I will forget we had this discussion. Are we clear?"
Theo took the President's hand and shook firmly. He was surprised to find his grip was very tight and his hands were as pale and as cold as ice. There was something unsettling about the texture of his hand alone. It was too smooth…
"We're clear sir."
"Now, leave my company, Gamemaker," he commanded stiffly. "With luck, the next you'll hear from me will be congratulating you on a Games well made. I haven't lost my hope in you."
Theo turned and exited down the seemingly endless table of the conference hall. As he passed leather chair by leather chair, he thought to himself about how his plans had changed. He would need to notify Kirt and Rhetora about this.
President Snow had spoken to the Gamemaker about hope, but the man didn't know a thing about it. Theo laughed when he thought about it one more time. After all, hope was only a word...
End of Chapter 11